Dagmar Mary Whitehead

Glenville- Dagmar Mary Whitehead, 85, passed away peacefully on Friday, November 28, 2025, at Ellis Hospital.
Born on December 14, 1939, in Manchester, England, Mary was the daughter of the late Dr. Martin and Dagmar Murphy.
Mary was a woman of determined intellect with an enthusiasm for learning. She graduated from Manchester University with a Library Sciences Degree and later a Paralegal Degree from Bentley University. She worked as a librarian for the chemical company ICI in England where she met her future husband, Alan Whitehead. They married in 1963 and moved to Boston MA together where Alan completed his PhD in Organic Chemistry.
Mary and Alan initially lived in Boston, then Ipswich, MA and then in Charlton, NY, where they lived for 33 years. In addition to taking care of her home and family, Mary was active in local community works.
Mary read constantly and widely. She and Alan loved to travel together. They took frequent trips to England and Ireland to see family, old friends, and places. She loved art, visiting museums of all kinds, opera, musical and dramatic theatre.
Mary enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren who brought her endless joy. She was a good friend to many and an attentive companion to those she cared for. In addition to her parents, Mary was predeceased by her husband, Alan Whitehead in 2015. She is survived by her children, Elizabeth Dagmar Whitehead Hood, Alan James Whitehead (Michelle Whitehead) and Alexander Stephen Whitehead (Jessica Kamphorst); grandchildren, Aaron Wiley Hood (Laura McGrath), Lucas Alan Hood, Isabelle Dagmar Coffrin (Alexander Coffrin), Joshua Beckett Whitehead, and Samuel Martin Whitehead; great grandchildren, Molly Caroline Hood and Dylan Alan Hood; sister, Veronica Jane Regan; brother, Simon Clifford Murphy (Annette Murphy); uncle, Dr. Gordon Laing and many nieces and nephews.
Calling hours will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025, from 2pm to 4pm at the Glenville Funeral Home, 9 Glenridge Road, Glenville with a Celebration of Life immediately after. Those unable to attend in person are warmly invited to view the Celebration of Life on the funeral home's Facebook page, https://facebook.com/GlenvilleFuneralHome.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Mary's name may be made to National Public Radio, https://www.npr.org/donations/support.